Root Menu

The Oxford Muse is pioneering cross-generational conversations in Oxford. We recently held an event at The Corner Café, run by Age Concern Oxfordshire at East Oxford Community Centre. Muse Interns, most of them students from Oxford University, sat in pairs with one of the over-50s who attend The Corner. Using our Menu of Conversation they exchanged their most important thoughts, hopes and beliefs.

This is what some people said about their experience:

'Thoroughly enjoyable' and that 'the world is so fast we need to stop and converse more often'.

'I was quite struck by the resonances between myself and my conversational partner. Despite our differences (age, ethnicity, nationality) there were some fascinating echoes in our experiences and hopes.'

'Educational, interesting and a pleasure...it was great to talk to an older person, especially as it is still only a few months since my own grandmother died'.

'Is it chance or fate that made us choose one another and find so many things that we had in common?'

'I had a great conversation. Culturally we found much in common but the real exchange was at a deeper human level as we talked of our shared experiences of deprivation, struggle as well as contentment – and we both pierced through the platitudes imposed upon us by current vocabulary.'